Crystal Beat 2 | Preciosa Lighting

Czech glass producer Preciosa Lighting has unveiled its dramatic dynamic lighting installation for Fuorisalone 2024. Crystal Beat 2 will be an entrancing celebration of early digital art, inviting visitors to embrace the present moment while diving into the past. It is an extension of the Crystal Beat concept exhibited at Salone del Mobile in 2023. Combining retro themes of pixels, early gaming graphics and music, Crystal Beat 2 celebrates the returning cultural trends from generations past. It presents a moment of escapism and nostalgia amongst the bustle of Milan’s lively Zona Tortona district.

At its Tortona installation, Preciosa will create an immersive experience amongst illuminated Crystal Pixels, using an advanced 3D sound system to immerse visitors in the rhythm of a 1980s-inspired musical soundscape and RGBW lighting effects. The dynamic lighting installation will comprise 400 pendants that respond to the beat of the music in vibrant RGBW LED hues, marking Preciosa’s first colourful light installation in Milan. Inspired by the enveloping, hypnotic, early gaming universes, the installation will be set in darkness, surrounded by black walls, to complement the colourful cubic triplex opal components.

At the core of Crystal Beat 2 is the launch of Preciosa’s latest Signature Design, Crystal Pixels: Crystal Pixels is a fully customisable lighting concept. Each Pixel is fully customisable, and available in three sizes and various colours, with lighting effects to achieve any atmosphere. Each suspended cube represents a 

pixel and can be displayed alone or as part of a cluster. They can be programmed individually for ambient or functional lighting solutions. Crystal Pixels embodies the distinct charm of digital aesthetics, inspired by the simple geometry of pixels. The design offers a blend of nostalgia and contemporary expression, paying homage to the simplicity and precision that defined early digital art.

Michael Vasku, co-Creative Director of Preciosa, says: “Crystal Beat 2 is a response to the shift in the culture around us. We are all at once looking to the future and reaching back to the past for nostalgia, comfort and experience to recoup popular retro trends. Through a dazzling display of light and music, every suspended Crystal Pixel invites you to take a graphic journey back in time, while absorbing the sensory delights of the present.”

Andreas Klug, co-Creative Director of Preciosa, says: “Entering our installation, Crystal Beat 2, at Zona Tortona, will offer a sensory shift from the bustle of Milan during its most stimulating time. The lighting display, set against a dark interior, is designed to be completely immersive, lending a feel of infinity and transporting visitors to early memories of digital interaction.” 

Preciosa has previously exhibited its Crystal Beat concept at Euroluce in 2023, and has shown its Composition in Crystal at Zona Tortona. Other headline installations include Breath of Light (2018), Carousel of Light (2019), and Composition in Crystal (2022). The company’s visionary creative team maintains a long- standing mission to bring light to life and connect with people through engaging and memorable experiences.

Tortona Quattrocento in Opificio Via Tortona 31 (16 – 21 April 2024, press preview on 15 April)